Forecast says tight games for area football teams

Oct 13, 2017

MPN file photoChristian Gerot and the W-MU football team can get their first win tonight

By Andy Krutsinger, Mt. Pleasant News

For some teams, the second-to-last Friday of the regular season means a chance to clinch a playoff spot. For others, it may mean trying to earn some momentum with the first win of the season. Whether fighting for a postseason spot or just trying to get on the “W” board, everything gets a little more intense when the game is set to be a nail-biter.

That is the reality for all five of the Henry County football teams this week. Our four high school squads and one college team all face teams of similar skill, meaning this could be the tightest week all season long on the gridiron.

Mt. Pleasant (4-3, 2-3) — For Mt. Pleasant, the last two weeks are about finishing the season on a strong note. Starting quarterback Zach Beason is set to return for the Panthers tonight as the Panthers try to enact some revenge on rival Fairfield.

The Trojans only have two wins this season but one could argue they are hitting their stride. With a couple of players returning from injury, the Trojans look to win their second in a row after blasting Ft. Madison 33-6 last week. Mt. Pleasant will need to watch out for junior running back Tristin Waugh who ran the ball for an incredible 328 yards and four touchdowns against the Bloodhounds last week.

New London (5-1, 3-1) ­— It is all on the line tonight in Packwood as New London takes on Pekin, another one-loss team, as both squads try to clinch a playoff spot.

The Tigers are coming off a tough six-point loss to now district champion Lynnville-Sully last week. The winner of tonight’s match will clinch a postseason spot and the loser will have to hope for an at-large berth.

Pekin’s Monico Requena will be the player to look out for on the other side of the ball. He had 182 yards and two touchdowns last week in Winfield.

WACO (3-5, 2-3) — WACO’s playoff hopes were all but dashed last Friday night in Baxter, but the Warriors can still end the home schedule with a victory on senior night against Easton Valley.

Easton Valley struggled in their first four games, but against good competition. The River Hawks are riding a two-game winning streak. Quarterback Nathan Trenkamp passed for 192 yards and three scores last week and running back Cameron Wilhelm scored thrice on 163 yards.

Winfield-Mt. Union (0-7, 0-5) — Tonight marks a golden opportunity for W-MU as they head to North Mahaska to take on the only other winless team in the district.

North Mahaska has only scored six points in their last there games, but W-MU has gone scoreless over that time period. Whoever finds their offense first will likely be able to celebrate for the first time this year.

Iowa Wesleyan University (1-5, 1-4) — The Tigers will head to St. Paul, Minn., to take on a Northwestern team that has two wins in the conference this season.

Northwestern’s offense has scored a maximum number of 19 points this season, but has a good defense. The Tigers will need to scrap out some points if they want to end a four-game skid before homecoming next Saturday.

Results for all five of our county’s football games will be found next week in The News.